McDonnell Douglas F-18 Super Hornet - Capacity and Fuel Consumption

The F-18 Super Hornet is a twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft designed and manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. It has been in production since 1995 and has a base price of 66.9 million dollars USD. The Super Hornet has an internal 20mm M61 rotary cannon and can carry a variety of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons such as missiles, rockets, bombs, and more. Supplemental fuel can be carried in up to five external fuel tanks and the aircraft can be configured as an airborne tanker through the addition of an external air refueling system. The Super Hornet entered US Navy fleet service in 1999 when it replaced the Grumman F-14 Tomcat. In addition to the US Navy, the F-18 Super Hornet is used by the Royal Australian Air Force.

The Super Hornet is powered by two General Electric F414-GE-400 engines that provide 22,000 pounds of force, allowing the aircraft to travel at a top cruising speed of 1,034 knots (1,189 mph) for a maximum range of 1,800 nautical miles. The aircraft’s rate of climb is 44,882 feet per minute and its service ceiling is 50,000 feet. Its fuel tank capacity is 4,467 gallons and it has a fuel economy of 0.4 nautical miles per gallon. Depending on the variant, the Super Hornet uses either the Hughes APG-73 or Raytheon APG-79 avionics system.

McDonnell Douglas, the manufacturer of the F-18 Super Hornet, was an American aerospace and defense manufacturer and contractor. The company was formed through the 1967 merger of McDonnell Aircraft and Douglas Aircraft Company. Throughout McDonnell Douglas’ history, the company developed and produced a number of well-known commercial and military aircraft such as the DC-10 airliner, the F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter, and the F-15E Strike Eagle multirole fighter. McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing in 1997 and now operates under the Boeing brand name.

McDonnell Douglas F-18 Super Hornet - Capacity and Fuel Consumption

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